Electrical connectors are generally inserted manually into a connection. The required insertion force varies depending upon the number of poles, the contact and the housing design (sealed or unsealed). If the connector housings are not fully joined together, the electrical contact between the contact members may well be established, but the tightness and vibration resistance of the connection may be compromised, or the connection may loosen after some time and give rise to operating failures. To ensure that the housings are properly locked, securing members are applied. These help the CPA recognize a properly closed connection and prevent accidental release of the connection or its locking. Other application fields besides those mentioned above, where such a CPA is required, are conceivable.
The electrical connections need to be arranged such that the vibrations developing during vehicle operation do not adversely affect the quality of the connection over the medium or long term. To ensure this, the securing members are applied. A further object of the CPA is to indicate that the housings of the connection are properly inserted. Only when properly inserted can the CPA be placed in the end position (secured position) and accidental release of the housings prevented. Thus it can be ensured during installation that the electrical connection was fully realized and the connectors were fully connected. The manufacture and installation of the connection concepts should be done as resource-efficiently as possible, i.e., the expenditure of capital, time and materials should be minimal.
US patent No. 2012/0282791 A1 discloses a connector, where a latch is hinged resiliently on the housing of an electrical connector. The latch may be brought into engagement with a recess in the housing of a counterpart in order to lock the connection. Moreover, a separately formed securing member may be inserted in the housing of the connector as a CPA in order to block the latch in the latched position and prevent accidental release, whereby the securing member may be inserted only in the latched state. Providing separate members complicates the structure. Moreover, storing the separate members becomes more costly, and improper mounting of the securing member cannot be excluded.